renaissance · “celestial” effect. ... diapason 8’ foundation stop of the great principal...

Renaissance230, 250, 270

Copyright © 1998 Allen Organ CompanyAll Rights Reserved

AOC P/N 033-0108 6-98

R-230, -250, -270 i

ALLEN ORGAN COMPANY

For more than fifty years--practically the entire history of electronic organs--the AllenOrgan Company has sought to build the finest organs that technology would allow.

In 1939, Allen built and marketed the world’s first purely electronic oscillator organ.The tone generators for this first instrument used two hundred forty-four vacuumtubes, contained about five thousand components, and weighed nearly three hundredpounds. Even with all this equipment, the specification included relatively few stops.

By 1959, Allen had replaced vacuum tubes in the oscillator organs with transistors.Thousands of transistorized instruments were built, including some of the largest, mostsophisticated oscillator organs.

Only a radical technological breakthrough could improve upon the fine performance ofAllen’s solid-state oscillator organs. Such a breakthrough came in conjunction with theU.S. Space Program in the form of highly advanced digital microcircuits.

Your MDS organ is the product of years of refinement in digital techniques by Allenengineers. It represents the apex of computer technology applied to exacting musicaltasks. The result is an instrument of remarkably advanced tone quality andperformance.

Congratulations on the purchase of your new Allen Digital Computer Organ! You haveacquired the most advanced electronic organ ever built, one that harnesses a moderncomputer to create and control beautiful organ tones.

Familiarize yourself with the instrument by reading through this booklet. The sectionson stop description and organ registration are intended for immediate use as well as forfuture reference.

R-230, -250, -270 ii

Contents

I. Description of Stops -----------------------------------------------------1

II. Stoplists

R-230 ------------------------------------------------------------4

R-250 ------------------------------------------------------------9

R-270 ---------------------------------------------------------- 14

III. Second Voices

Swell Solo Organ Voices ---------------------------------------- 19

Classic Second Voicing Great-Pedal ----------------------------- 19

IV. Artistic Registration --------------------------------------------------- 21

V. Transposer, Virtual Acoustics------------------------------------------ 26

VI. Installation, Voicing and Care of the Organ---------------------------- 28

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION I1

DESCRIPTION OF STOPS

PITCH FOOTAGE

The number appearing on each stop along with its name indicates the “pitch” or“register” of the particular stop. It is characteristic of the organ that notes of differentpitches may be sounded from a single playing key. When this sound corresponds to theactual pitch of the playing key, the note (or stop) is referred to as being of 8’ pitch;therefore, when an 8’ stop is selected and Middle C is depressed, the pitch heard will beMiddle C. If it sounds an octave higher, it is called 4’ or octave pitch. If it sounds twooctaves higher, it is called 2’ pitch, while a stop sounding three octaves higher is at 1’pitch. Likewise, a 16’ stop sounds an octave lower, and a 32’ stop sounds two octaveslower.

Stops of 16’, 8’, 4’, 2’, and 1’ pitch all have octave relationships; that is, these “evennumbered” stops all sound octaves of whatever key is depressed. Pitches other thanoctaves are also used in organ playing. Their footage number always contains afraction, and they are referred to as mutations. Among these are the Nasard 2-2/3’ andTierce 1-3/5’. Because they introduce unusual pitch relationships with respect to thefundamental (8’) tone, they are most effective when combined with other stops, and areused either in solo passages or in small ensembles of flutes (see explanation of Cornet inSection III).

TONAL FAMILIES

Organ tones divide into two main categories: flues and reeds. In a pipe organ, fluepipes are those in which the sound is set in motion by wind striking directly on the edgeof the mouth of the pipe. Flues include diapason, principal, flute, and string tones.Compound stops and hybrid stops are “variations” within these three families.

The term “imitative” means that the organ stop imitates the sound of the correspondingorchestral instrument; for example, an imitative Viola 8 would be a stop voiced to soundlike an orchestral viola. Below is a brief summary of various organ voices, some or all ofwhich may be on your particular Allen organ.

Principal VoicesPrincipalDiapasonOctaveSuperoctaveQuinte

Characteristic organ tone, not imitative of orchestral instruments.Usually present at many pitch levels, as well as in all divisions. Rich,warm, and harmonically well developed, these voices form thebackbone of the organ.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION I2

TONAL FAMILIES: continued

Flute Voices Open:

Harmonic FluteSpitzflöteflute mutations

Stopped:GedacktBourdonQuintadenaRohr Bourdon

Voices of lesser harmonic development than Diapason or Principal.Open flutes somewhat imitative; stopped flutes not. Present at manypitch levels and in all divisions.

String VoicesSalicionalViola PomposaVoix Céleste

Mildly imitative voices of brighter harmonic development thanPrincipal. Usually appear at 8’ pitch.

Compound VoicesMixtureCornet

Voices produced by more than one pitch sounding simultaneously.

Hybrid VoicesGemshornErzähler

Voices that combine the tonal characteristic of two families of sound,e.g., flutes and principals, or strings and principals.

In reed pipes, a metal tongue vibrates against an opening in the side of a metal tubecalled a shallot. The characteristic sounds of different reeds are produced throughresonators of varying shape. The family of reeds subdivides as follows:

Reed Voices Chorus or Ensemble:

TrompettePosauneClairon

Solo:HautboisClarinetKrummhorn

Voices of great harmonic development; some imitative, othersnot.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION I3

TONAL FAMILIES: continued

The Allen Digital Computer Organ provides authentic examples of various types ofvoices as listed above. Some of these are protected by copyrights owned by the AllenOrgan Company. The voices are stored in memory devices, each having affixed to it acopyright notice; e.g., © 1992 AOCO, © 1993 AOCO, etc., pursuant to Title 17 of theUnited States Code, Section 101 et seq.

EXPRESSION PEDALS

The R-270 features two expression pedals. The pedal on the left expresses the Great andPedal divisions, while the center expression pedal affects the Swell.

CRESCENDO PEDAL

One master Crescendo, for all divisions, gradually adds stops as this pedal is opened.Indicator lights show the relative position of the pedal. Crescendo B is a secondaryCrescendo that can be programmed by the organist. Indiscriminate use of the Crescendopedal, in lieu of careful registration, should be avoided.

TUTTI I & II

The Tutti I and II are settings of full organ registration. Tutti II is a fuller registrationthan Tutti I. The Tuttis are turned on by using manual pistons located beneath the Swellmanual directly above the Cancel button. The pistons are reversible. Pressing them willturn the corresponding Tutti on or off. The Cancel button will also turn off the Tuttis.Pressing Tutti II will cancel Tutti I. Red signal lights, appropriately labeled and locatedon the right side of the console to the left of the expression indicators, turn on whenTutti I or II is in operation. A second set of Tuttis can be programmed by the organist.Like the Crescendo, indiscriminate use of these devices should be avoided.

“R” RECALL PISTON

The Recall Piston, when pressed, will return the organ to the combination used justbefore the current combination.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION II4

R-230 STOPLIST

PEDAL ORGAN

Diapason 16’ The 16’ member of the Pedal principal chorus.Strongest pedal flue stop.

Bourdon 16’ Stopped flute tone of weight and solidity.

Lieblichgedackt 16’ Softer stopped flute of delicacy and definition.(Swell expression) Useful where a soft 16’ pitch is required.

Octave 8’ 8’ member of the Pedal principal chorus.

Flûte 8’ Stopped flute tone of 8’ pitch, useful in adding clarity to a pedalline in combination with the Bourdon 16’ or Lieblichgedackt16’.

Choralbass 4’ Pedal 4’ principal tone.

Mixture III Compound stop of principal tones. One pedal produces threedistinct pitches at octave and fifth relationships to the pedalbeing pressed. Used to crown the Pedal principal chorus.

Posaune 16’ Sixteen foot reed that lends strength and “snarl” to the Pedalline.

Tromba 8’ Harmonically full, more like trombone tone than trumpet tone.Excellent reed chorus voice. Works very well as a solo reedvoice of medium brightness.

Great to Pedal Connects all Great stops to the Pedal.

Swell to Pedal Connects all Swell stops to the Pedal.

MIDI on Pedal Opens MIDI channel to the Pedal.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION II5

SWELL ORGAN

Lieblichgedackt 16’ Softer stopped flute voice of delicacy and definition. Usefulwhere soft 16’ pitch is required.

Gedackt 8’ Stopped flute tone of moderate harmonic development.Provides the 8’ member of the Swell flute chorus and is usefulby itself or with other flutes and mutations in creating solovoices.

Viola Pomposa 8’ Soft string tone.

Viole Celeste 8’ String tone, slightly detuned, used with the Viola Pomposa 8’ tocreate a warm string celeste.

Celestes are created by using two sounds, one tuned slightlysharp or flat of the other, creating a warm, undulating,“celestial” effect. The combination of the Viola Pomposa 8’ andViola Celeste 8’ will create beautiful celeste sounds.

Octave Geigen 4’ Principal tone with a string like edge.

Traverse Flute 4’ Distinctive stopped flute voice that works well in ensembles offlutes or strings, or as a solo voice.

Nasard 2-2/3’ Flute mutation that sounds one octave and a fifth above the keysplayed. Always used with other stops (usually beginning with8’) for coloration.

Piccolo 2’ A delicate, clear open flute at 2’ pitch.

Tierce 1-3/5’ Flute mutation that causes the pitch to sound a seventeenth (twooctaves and a third) higher than played. Used with 8’ stops orflute ensembles.

Fourniture IV Compound stop, or mixture comprised of principal tones. Eachnote played produces four distinct pitches at octave and fifthrelationships to the key being pressed. The Mixture IV shouldnever be used without stops of lower pitches. The Mixture IV istypically added to diapason or flute ensembles, or to a reedchorus.

Waldhorn 16’ Chorus reed tone at the 16’ pitch level, designed to supplementthe other chorus reeds. Also usable as a distinctive solo reed.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION II6

SWELL ORGAN: continued

French Trumpet 8’ Chorus reed stop of rich harmonic development. Can also beused as a solo voice.

Oboe 8’ A solo reed of nasal timber and medium power. It will also givedefinition to the flute chorus when added.

Tremulant Use of this stop provides a vibrato effect, natural in the humanvoice and wind instruments, when used with the stops in theSwell division.

Celesta Delicate percussion sound similar to a music box.

Harpsichord Typical sound of stringed harpsichord.

Swell Unison Off Turns off stops in the Swell Division at their normal pitch, whileallowing them to speak at octave and sub-octave pitch when theoctave and sub-octave couplers are drawn.

MIDI on Swell Opens MIDI channel to the Swell

Solo Organ Voices See Section III, Page 19

GREAT ORGAN

Diapason 8’ Foundation stop of the Great principal chorus, which consists ofthe Diapason 8’, Octave 4’, and Fifteenth 2’.

Harmonic Flute 8’ Tone quality of solo stature. Basic tone of the flute chorus.

Flute Celeste II 8’(Swell Expression)

Two soft flute tones, one slightly detuned from the other tocreate a warm celeste.

Octave 4’ The 4’ member of the Great principal chorus.

Spitzflöte 4’ Partially stopped flute tone.

Fifteenth 2’ An open metal stop that produces foundation tone at the 2’ pitchlevel.

Mixture IV A compound stop of principal tones. Four notes in octave andfifth relationships sound together when a single key isdepressed. As pitches progress upward, they “break” back tothe next lower octave or fifth. Used to cap the Great principalchorus, adding brilliance and pitch definition.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION II7

GREAT ORGAN: continued


Krummhorn 8’ The tone quality of the shawm, a medieval ancestor of theclarinet, is the basis for this light, bright, nasal reed. It can beused alone as a solo or combined with light flues for asomewhat rounder reed solo effect.


Chimes Typical Tubular Chimes.

Swell to Great Intermanual coupler connecting all Swell stops to the Greatmanual.

MIDI on Great Opens MIDI channel to Great.

Classic Voicing Gt-Pd See Section III, Page 19

GENERALS

Melody Coupler When playing on the Great manual, the highest key played onthe Great will automatically play all stops drawn on the Swell inaddition to those drawn on the Great. By choosing a Swell stopsuch as the Festival Trumpet, the melody played by the top noteon the Great is accentuated.

Bass Coupler Similar to the Melody coupler in operation. In this case,however, the lowest note played on the Great will also play allstops drawn in the Pedal Division. This allows voices normallyplayed from the pedalboard to be heard without using thepedalboard.

Alternate Tuning When activated, the organ’s tuning will change to the alternatetuning selected from the Console Controller™. See Section II.A.of the Console Controller™ Guide for more information aboutalternate tunings.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION II8

GENERALS: continued

Tremulants Full When activated along with one or more of the organ’stremulants, this control causes the tremulants to become muchdeeper than normal classical tremulants. Useful for Gospelmusic, etc. Also known as “Vibrato.”

Console Speakers OFF Used to switch off the Console Speakers.

External Speakers OFF Switches off all external speakers (if installed)

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION II9

R-250 STOPLIST

PEDAL ORGAN

Contre Violone 32’ String tone at 32’ pitch.

Diapason 16’ The 16’ member of the Pedal principal chorus.Strongest pedal flue stop.



Octave 8’ 8’ member of the Pedal principal chorus.



Mixture III Compound stop of principal tones. One pedal produces threedistinct pitches at octave and fifth relationships to the pedalbeing pressed. Used to crown the Pedal principal chorus.






R-230, -250, -270 SECTION II10

SWELL ORGAN

Lieblichgedackt 16’ Softer stopped flute voice of delicacy and definition. Usefulwhere soft 16’ pitch is required.

Gedackt 8’ Stopped flute tone of moderate harmonic development.Provides the 8’ member of the Swell flute chorus and is usefulby itself or with other flutes and mutations in creating solovoices.


Viole Celeste 8’ String tone, slightly detuned, used with the Viola Pomposa 8’ tocreate a warm string celeste.

Celestes are created by using two sounds, one tuned slightlysharp or flat of the other, creating a warm, undulating,“celestial” effect. The combination of the Viola Pomposa 8’ andViola Celeste 8’ will create beautiful celeste sounds.

Octave Geigen 4’ Principal tone with a string like edge.


Nasard 2-2/3’ Flute mutation that sounds one octave and a fifth above the keysplayed. Always used with other stops (usually beginning with8’) for coloration.



Fourniture IV Compound stop, or mixture comprised of principal tones. Eachnote played produces four distinct pitches at octave and fifthrelationships to the key being pressed. The Mixture IV shouldnever be used without stops of lower pitches. The Mixture IV istypically added to diapason or flute ensembles, or to a reedchorus.


R-230, -250, -270 SECTION II11






Harpsichord Typical sound of stringed harpsichord..



Solo Organ Voices See Section III, Page 19

GREAT ORGAN


Harmonic Flute 8’ Tone quality of solo stature. Basic tone of the flute chorus.





Fifteenth 2’ An open metal stop that produces foundation tone at the 2’ pitchlevel.

Mixture IV A compound stop of principal tones. Four notes in octave andfifth relationships sound together when a single key isdepressed. As pitches progress upward, they “break” back to

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION II12


the next lower octave or fifth. Used to cap the Great principalchorus, adding brilliance and pitch definition throughout theentire compass.






MIDI on Great Opens MIDI Channel to the Great.


GENERALS



R-230, -250, -270 SECTION II13

GENERALS: continued

Alternate Tuning On When activated, the organ’s tuning will change to the alternatetuning selected from the Console Controller™. See Section II.A.of the Console Controller™ Guide for more information aboutalternate tunings.


Main Organ Off Used in conjunction with Antiphonal Organ On. This controldisables the Main speakers. If this control is engaged and theAntiphonal controls are not engaged, the organ will not sound.

Antiphonal Organ On Causes the organ to speak from the Antiphonal speakers. Theorgan will then will speak from both Antiphonal and Mainspeakers. When the Main Organ Off control is also drawn, theAntiphonal speakers will sound alone.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION II14

R-270 STOPLIST

PEDAL ORGAN

Contre Violone 32’ String tone at 32’ pitch.

Diapason 16’ The 16’ member of the Pedal principal chorus. Strongest pedalflue stop.

Violone 16’ String tone at 16’ pitch.(Great expression)



Octave 8’ Eight foot member of the Pedal principal chorus.



Mixture III Compound stop of principal tone. One pedal produces threedistinct pitches at octave and fifth relationships to the pedalbeing pressed. Used to crown the Pedal principal chorus.

Contre Posaune 32’ Strong reed that lends strength and definition to the Pedal line.


Waldhorn 16’(Swell expression)

Pedal reed of less power and harmonic development than thePosaune.


Clairon 4’ Bright 4’ chorus reed. Combines with Waldhorn 16’ andTromba 8’ to form the full Pedal chorus. Also useful as a solovoice.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION II15

PEDAL ORGAN: continued




SWELL ORGAN

Lieblichgedackt 16’ Stopped flute voice of delicacy and definition. Useful where soft16’ pitch is required.

Rohr Bourdon 8’ Stopped flute tone of moderate harmonic development.Provides the 8’ member of the Swell flute chorus and is usefulby itself or with other flutes and mutations in creating solovoices.


Viola Celeste 8’ String tone, slightly detuned, used with the Viola Pomposa 8’ tocreate a warm string celeste. Celestes are created by using twosounds, one tuned slightly sharp or flat of the other, creating awarm, undulating, “celestial” effect

Flute Celeste II 8’ Much like Viola Celeste except tone color is flute instead ofstring.

Octave Geigen 4’ Principal tone with a string-like edge.


Nasard 2-2/3’ Flute mutation that sounds one octave and a fifth above the keyplayed. Always used with other stops (usually beginning with8’) for coloration.



R-230, -250, -270 SECTION II16


Fourniture IV Mixture comprised of principal tones. Each note playedproduces four distinct pitches at octave and fifth relationships tothe key being pressed. The Mixture IV should never be usedwithout stops of lower pitches. It is typically added to diapasonor flute ensembles, or to a reed chorus.





Solo Organ Voices See Section III, .


Harpsichord Typical sound of stringed harpsichord..

Festival Trumpet Large, powerful solo reed.



GREAT ORGAN

Violone 16’ Rich string tone. Adds fullness to a chorus or can be used forsubtle melodies.


R-230, -250, -270 SECTION II17


Viola Pomposa 8’ Soft string tone.(Swell expression)

Harmonic Flute 8’ Tone quality of solo stature. Basic voice of the flute chorus.





Fifteenth 2’ An open metal stop that produces foundation tone at 2’ pitch.

Mixture IV A compound stop of principal tone. Four notes in octave andfifth relationships sound together when a single key isdepressed. As pitches progress upward, they “break” back tothe next lower octave or fifth. Used to cap the Great principalchorus, adding brilliance and pitch definition.

Cymbale III Three rank mixture of principal tone. Each note produces threepitches at octave and fifth relationships to the key depressed.Typically drawn after the principal chorus, including theMixture IV, has been drawn.




Celesta(Swell Expression)

Delicate percussion sound similar to a music box.


Tremulant Same as Tremulant in Swell, but affects stops in the Great andPedal, except for the bottom octave in both divisions.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION II18

GREAT ORGAN continued




MIDI on Great Opens MIDI channel to Great.

GENERALS

Alternate Tuning When activated, the organ’s tuning will change to the alternatetuning selected from the Console Controller™. See Section II.A.of the Console Controller™ Guide for more information aboutalternate tunings.


Swell Main Off,Gt-Pd Main Off

Used in conjunction with the Swell to Antiphonal and Gt-Pd toAntiphonal tablets. These controls disable the Main speakers. Ifthese controls are engaged and the corresponding division’sAntiphonal controls are not engaged, those divisions will notsound.

Swell to Antiphonal,Gt-Pd to Antiphonal

These cause the appropriate division’s voices to speak fromAntiphonal speakers. When drawn, those divisions will speak fromboth Antiphonal and Main speakers. When the correspondingMain Off controls are also drawn, the division’s Antiphonalspeakers will sound alone.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION III19

SWELL SOLO VOICES AND CLASSIC SECOND VOICING

SWELL SOLO ORGAN VOICES

In addition to the comprehensive stop specification of the R-270, there are a variety of solostops that can be accessed from the Swell manual using the Solo Organ Voices. These secondvoices are accessed from stop tablets in the Swell division. The stop names are printed on thestop tablets in red superscript as follows: Orchestral Flute, Clarinet, French Organ and CorAnglais. The Solo Organ Voices are activated by first depressing the Solo Organ Voices stoptablet and then selecting the desired stop in the Swell division.

SWELL

Orchestral Flute 8’ An open wood or metal Flute of 8’ manual pitch.Clarinet 8’ An imitative reed stop of 8’ pitch.French Horn 8’ Imitative of the orchestral instrumentCor Anglais 8’ Imitative of the orchestral instrument.

CLASSIC SECOND VOICING GREAT - PEDAL

The characteristics of several stops in the Great and Pedal divisions can be changed using theClassical Voicing Gt-Pd control. As in the Swell division, the second voices in the Great andPedal divisions are accessed from stop tablets. Certain stop tablets in the Great and Pedalhave two stop names, one engraved in black, the other in red. Standard specification stops areshown in black; Classic Second Voices are shown in red. Classical Second Voices are accessedby first depressing the Classical Voicing Gt-Pd stop tablet and then selecting the desired stopsin the Great and Pedal divisions.

GREAT

* Quintaton 16’ Thin flute tone with highly developed third harmonic.Prinzipal 8’ More articulate than a Diapason

∗ Holzgedackt 8’ A stopped wooden flute.Oktav 4’ Brighter and more articulate than Octave.

∆ Metalgedackt 8' Bright stopped metal flute.

∆ R-230, R-250∗ R-270 only

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION III20

CLASSIC SECOND VOICING GREAT - PEDAL: continued

PEDAL

Prinzipal 16’ Brighter and more articulate than a DiapasonSubbass 16’ More articulate than the Bourdon

∗ Quintaton 16’ Brighter and more articulate than the voloneOktav 8’ Brighter and more articulate than the Octave 8’

∗ Gedackt 8’ Articulate stopped flute with prominent third harmonicSuper Oktav 4’ Foundation stop of prinzipal tone quality.

∗ R-270 only

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION IV21

ARTISTIC REGISTRATION

Organ registrations fall into two broad categories: solo combinations and ensembles.

A solo combination is one in which a melody is played on one keyboard, the accompanimenton another keyboard, and the pedal often provides a light bass line. Almost any stop orcombination of stops will sound good as a solo voice. A contrasting tone quality should bechosen for the accompaniment, so that the accompaniment is softer than the solo voice. Thepedal stops must provide a foundation for the sound without covering it.

Most 8’ reed stops make interesting solo voices. The addition of a 4’ flute or a flute mutation(e.g., Nasard or Tierce) to a reed such as the Trompette colors the sound further and increasesits volume slightly. Adding an 8’ flute to a reed will add body to the sound.

Flutes can be used alone or in combinations as solo voices. One special combination of flutesthat creates an appealing and historically significant solo combination is the Cornet(pronounced kor-NAY). The Cornet is created by using Swell flute stops at these pitches: 8’,4’, 2-2/3’, 2’, and 1-3/5’. This combination was used widely in Baroque organ music, but itis just as appropriate for some modern music. Useful variations of the Cornet may beachieved by eliminating the 4’, the 2’, or both.

When choosing stops for a solo voice, it is not always necessary to include an 8’ stop. Forexample, since the 4’ flute has a tone quality different from that of the 8’ flute, the 4’ flutecan be used as an independent solo voice. By playing the solo an octave lower than written,the notes will sound at the correct pitch. In similar fashion, a 16’ stop can be selected and thenotes played an octave higher than written. Tonal variety will be gained, because each stophas its own tone color.

For accompaniment, the most desirable voices are the 8’ flutes or strings on each manual.Celestes often make effective accompaniments. The correct choice depends on the volume ofthe solo tone (a soft solo voice requires the softest accompanimental stop), the element ofcontrast, and the location of the solo stop. A bright, harmonically rich solo reed, for example,can be accompanied by either a string or flute, but the flute will often contribute greaterinterest because of its greater contrast.

Seek a “natural” balance of volume between solo and accompaniment. This will be especiallyeasy to accomplish if the solo and accompaniment are under separate expression.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION IV22

SUGGESTED SOLO REGISTRATIONS

CHIMES SOLO

Swell: Viola Pomposa 8’, Viola Celeste 8’Great: ChimesPedal: Lieblichgedackt 16’, Swell to PedalPlay solo on Great.

SOLO CORNET COMBINATION

Swell: Rohr Bourdon 8’, Traverse Flute 4’, Nasard 2-2/3’, Piccolo 2’, Tierce 1-3/5’Great: Harmonic Flute 8’; or Flute Celeste II 8’Pedal: Lieblichgedackt 16’, Gedacktflöte 8’Play solo on Swell.

FLUTE SOLO

Swell: Gedackt 8’; or Rohr Bourdon 8'; or Solo Organ Voices, Orchestral Flute 4’Great: Flute Celeste II 8’Pedal: Lieblichgedackt 16’, Swell to Pedal

Play solo on Swell

TRUMPET SOLO

Swell: French Trumpet 8’Great: Diapason 8’, Octave 4’; Fifteenth 2'Pedal: Diapason16’, Octave 8’, Choralbass 4'Play solo on Swell.

FESTIVAL TRUMPET SOLO (R-270 only)

Swell: Gedackt 8’, Viola Pomposa 8’, Octave Geigen 4’, Traverse Flute 4’, Piccolo 2’,Festival Trumpet, Swell Unison Off

Great: Diapason 8’, Harmonic Flute 8’, Octave 4’, Spitzflöte 4’, Fifteenth 2’, Mixture IVSwell to Great

Pedal: Diapason 16’, Octave 8’, Choralbass 4’, Mixture III, Waldhorn 16’, Tromba 8’,Great to Pedal, Swell to Pedal

These few combinations demonstrate basic techniques of solo registration. In creatingregistrations of your own, remember these three simple rules:

1. Seek tonal contrast between solo and accompaniment.2. Be sure the solo is louder than the accompaniment.3. Choose a solo whose character is appropriate to the specific piece.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION IV23

ENSEMBLE REGISTRATIONS

Ensemble registrations involve groups of stops that are played together, usually, but notalways, with both hands on one keyboard. They are characterized by compatibility of tone,clarity, and occasionally power. Such registrations are used in hymn singing, choiraccompaniments, and much of the contrapuntal organ literature.

Much has been written about ensemble registration. The major points are.

Ensembles are created by combining stops. Two factors to be considered are: tone qualityand pitch. Ensembles begin with a few stops at 8’ pitch and expand “outward” in pitch asthey build up. New pitches are usually added in preference to additional 8’ stops.

Ensembles are generally divided into three groups or “choruses”:

The Principal chorus, the most fully developed, is represented in most divisions ofthe organ and at pitches from 16’ (Diapason) to high mixtures. The Principalchorus is sometimes called the narrow-scale flue chorus, a reference to therelative thinness of principal pipes in relation to their length.

The Flute chorus is also well represented with a diversity of stops at variouspitches. Generally speaking, the Flute chorus is composed of less harmonicallydeveloped tones, and is smoother and of lesser volume than the Principal chorus.The Flute chorus is sometimes called the wide-scale flue chorus, owing to thegenerally “fatter” look of Flute pipes as compared to Principals.

The Reed chorus includes those reed tones designed to be used in the ensemblebuildup. Not all reed voices are ensemble tones. An Hautbois, for example, isusually a solo stop. The various Trumpets, Clairons, Posaunes, etc., are ensemblevoices that add brilliance, power, and incisiveness to the sound. If you havequestions as to whether a specific reed is a solo or ensemble stop, refer to theDescription of Stops in Section I.

The Swell Reed chorus of Waldhorn 16’ and French Trumpet 8’ represents an entityimportant to French organ music and the full ensemble of the organ. These stops create a“blaze” of harmonic richness that tops off the Principal and Flute choruses.

Another special ensemble combination important in French music is the Cornet, which wasdiscussed in the section on solo registration. This combination can be used with the chorusreeds and mutations to create the “Grand Jeu.” The Cornet is also useful in Romanticensembles to add weight and thickness to the sound.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION IV24

Here are typical ensemble combinations for the Swell and Great manuals:

GREAT

1. Harmonic Flute 8’, Spitzflöte 4’2. Harmonic Flute 8’, Spitzflöte 4’, Fifteenth 2’3. Diapason 8’, Octave 4’4. Diapason 8’, Octave 4’, Fifteenth 2’5. Diapason 8’, Octave 4’, Fifteenth 2’, Mixture IV6. Diapason 8’, Harmonic Flute 8’, Octave 4’, Spitzflöte 4’, Fifteenth 2’, Mixture IV

SWELL

1. Gedackt 8’, Viola Pomposa 8’2. Gedackt 8’, Viola Pomposa 8’, Traverse Flute 4’3. Gedackt 8’, Viola Pomposa 8’, Traverse Flute 4’, Piccolo 2’4. Gedackt 8’, Viola Pomposa 8’, Spitzprinzipal 4’, Traverse Flute 4’, Piccolo 2’5. Gedackt 8’, Viola Pomposa 8’, Spitzprinzipal 4’, Traverse Flute 4’, Piccolo 2’,

Fourniture IV6. Gedackt 8’, Viola Pomposa 8’, Spitzprinzipal 4’, Traverse Flute 4’, Piccolo 2’,

Fourniture IV, French Trumpet 8’

The use of the Swell to Great coupler allows these separate ensembles to be combined on theGreat manual. For example, the Great #5 and Swell #4 registrations coupled together andplayed on the Great combine to form a nice round hymn combination.

The Pedal ensemble is created in much the same way as the manual ensembles, starting at 16’pitch instead of 8’. Be careful that the volume of the pedals is not greater than that of themanuals. Although the manual to pedal couplers are useful in bringing clarity to the pedalline, especially on softer registrations, avoid the temptation to rely constantly on one or two16’ stops and a coupler. Please note that the softest stops and flute mutations are normallynot used in ensembles.

FULL ORGAN

Due to the immense capabilities of the Allen Digital Computer Organ, every stop and coupleron the instrument could be used simultaneously without distortion, if the organ is adjustedproperly. In good registration practice, however, the organist would not haphazardly put onevery stop on the instrument. For best results, listen and include only those stops whosecontribution to the fullness and brilliance of the ensemble you can hear when they are added.Eliminate soft stops and solo stops that make no audible contribution.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION IV25

This short treatment barely scratches the surface of organ registration. For those interestedin gaining further insight into this vital area of organ playing, we recommend the followingresources:

Audsley, George Ashdown. Organ Stops and their Artistic Registration.Hialeah, FL: C.P.P. Belwin, 1985.

Irwin, Stevens. Dictionary of Pipe Organ Stops. 2nd ed.New York: Macmillan Books, 1983.

Cherrington, Dr. Sally. A Church Organist's Primer. Volumes I, II, & III.Allen Organ Company. Video Materials, 1996/1997.AOC P.N: 031-0047, 031-0065, 031-0112.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION V26

TRANSPOSER

Vast computer capability makes it possible to perform the sometimes difficult task oftransposing, while allowing the organist to play in the notated key. Operation of theTransposer is controlled by the Transposer knob, found inside the Console Controller™drawer underneath the left side of the console. Neutral (no transposition) position for theknob is marked “!.” To shift the music to a higher key, move the knob counter-clockwise.The key can be raised a maximum of five half-steps. To shift to a lower key, move theTransposer knob clockwise from “!.” The key can be lowered a total of seven half-steps. ARED INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON WHEN THE TRANSPOSER KNOB IS MOVED FROM THE“!” POSITION.

WHY TRANSPOSE?1. Because the written range of a song will not always suit the vocal range of a particular

singer. By adjusting the transposer, the piece can be sung more comfortably andeffectively.

2. Because music for some instruments is not written in the same key as organ music. Atrumpet or clarinet in B!, for example, can read the same music as the organist, if theTransposer knob is set two half-steps lower.

3. Because hymn singing can sometimes be improved by a more favorable key selection.Hymn singing can also be enhanced by playing all but the final verse of a hymn in itsoriginal key, followed by a short modulation to the key one half-step higher. Afterchanging the Transposer, the organist will then play the final verse in the original key,but it will sound one half-step higher. If a hymn is already in a fairly high key, it may bepreferable to play the first few stanzas in the written key with the Transposer set downone half- or one whole-step; then modulate up to the original key and return theTransposer to neutral for the final stanza (again played in the written key).

VIRTUAL ACOUSTICS™ SETTINGS

Virtual Acoustics™ provides the spatial ambiance of reverberant rooms of various sizes.Although most effective in poor (non-reverberant) acoustic environments, it enhances thesound even in excellent acoustic settings.

There are 21 selectable Virtual Acoustics™ pallets. One of these, the DEFAULT setting, is notadjustable. The other 20 pallets are adjustable. They allow an organist to modify the soundof the organ to accommodate a room’s changing acoustical properties. For example, a room’sreverberation characteristics change as the number of people present changes. Differencesin reverberation time also occur when a room’s windows are opened or closed.

R-230, -250, -270 SECTION V27

VIRTUAL ACOUSTICS™ SETTINGS continued

The rocker switch labeled VIRTUAL ACOUSTICS™ in the Console Controller™ drawer mustbe ON to hear the selected reverb pallet. The amount of reverb can be changed on the 20adjustable pallets. The selected reverb level, measured in dB (decibels), is shown in theConsole Controller™ window. The range of control in each pallet is from Ø dB to -3Ø dB.Minus 3Ø dB is the least amount of reverb. Zero (Ø) dB provides the most reverb available inthat pallet.

When you change the Virtual Acoustics™ setting, you must turn the rocker switch OFF andON again for the new setting to take effect.

R-230, -250, -270 28 Section VI

INSTALLATION, VOICING, AND CARE OF THE ORGAN

INSTALLATION

Wherever your Renaissance™ organ may be situated, careful installation is aprerequisite to successful results. Your Allen representative is well qualified to guideyou in planning the finest possible installation.

Factory assistance in planning the installation is also available and may, in fact, besought by your Allen Organ representative.

VOICING

The Renaissance™ organ enjoys unprecedented accuracy in the scaling and voicing ofeach note of every stop. This musical breakthrough is an inherent part of theengineering design of the instrument. Final adjustments in scaling and voicing involvecontrols within the console and are best left to an expert. These adjustments arenormally a part of installation and, once done, should not require changes, unless theinstrument is moved to a new location.

Bass frequency projection is strongly affected by tone cabinet location. Although noneof the tone cabinets should be moved once the installation has been completed, extracare should be exercised to prevent inadvertent movement of the bass tone cabinet

BATTERY BACKUP SYSTEM

The memory for the capture system on your Renaissance™ organ is sustained by aLithium battery. This allows capture settings and related items to be retained in memorywhen the organ is switched off or unplugged. Under normal circumstances, the Lithiumbattery should last for several years. A built-in warning system will alert you when thebattery becomes weak and needs to be replaced. The green power light will flash for aboutten seconds after the organ is switched on if the battery is in need of replacement.

Should the battery in your Renaissance™ organ require replacement, contact your localAllen authorized service representative.

R-230, -250, -270 29 Section VI

CARE OF THE ORGAN

Your Allen Digital Computer Organ constitutes a major advance in long-termmaintenance-free operation. There are no regular maintenance procedures requiredand, therefore, no periodic maintenance schedules to be observed.

Reasonable care will keep the instrument looking beautiful for years to come. The woodsurfaces may be cleaned using a soft cloth dampened with lukewarm water. A mildsolution of lukewarm water and dish detergent may be used to remove fingerprints, etc.Polish dry with a soft cloth.

Do not use wax, sprays or oils on the finish. Satin finished surfaces will take on a semi-gloss appearance when waxed and will eventually become yellowed.

Keys and stop tablets should be cleaned in the following manner: Use two clean cloths.Immerse one in clear, lukewarm water and wring it thoroughly damp dry. Loosen thedirt with this cloth, then polish immediately with the dry cloth. Do not use soap ordetergent on keys or stop tablets.

You have purchased a remarkable organ that not only faithfully reproduces the organtraditions of the past but also anticipates the innovations of the future. Should you havequestions that are not addressed in this manual, please do not hesitate to contact yourlocal Allen Organ representative. Welcome to the family of satisfied Allen Organowners!

CAUTIONDo not plug the instrument into any current source other than 105-128 volts, 50/60Hertz alternating current (AC). A verified grounded outlet is essential to properoperation and protection of the instrument. Proper polarity should be checked withan AC circuit analyzer before connecting the organ.

Do not change the cable plug or remove the ground pin or connect with a two-poleadapter.

If you are in doubt about your electrical connection, consult your local electrician orpower company.

In churches where circuit breakers are turned off between worship services, thecircuit breaker affecting the organ console AC power should have a guard installed toprevent its being accidentally switched off.

Read and comply with all instructions and labels that may be attached to theinstrument.

Warning: This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energyand, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may causeinterference to radio communications. It has been type tested and found to complywith the limits for a Class B Computing Device in accordance with the specificationsin Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules, which are designed to provide reasonableprotection against such interference in a residential installation. Should thisequipment cause interference to radio communications, the user at his own expensewill be required to take whatever measures may be necessary to correct theinterference. Whether this equipment actually causes the interference to radiocommunications can be determined by turning the equipment off and on. The user isencouraged to attempt to correct the interference by one or more of the followingmeasures:

Reorient the receiving antenna.Relocate the organ with respect to the receiver.Move the organ away from the receiver.Plug the organ into a different electrical outlet, so that the organ and receiver are ondifferent branch circuits.

If necessary, the user should consult the dealer or an experienced radio technician foradditional suggestions.

renaissance · “celestial” effect. ... diapason 8’ foundation stop of the great principal...

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